Heritage Conservation Briefs
JOB CREATION

Heritage conservation generates a diverse variety of jobs

Heritage conservation generates the most returns for public works investments

Jobs generated from heritage conservation are expect to increase
A wide variety of direct and indirect jobs are generated from the rehabilitation of
heritage buildings

In Canada, an estimated 3,800 to 5,300 people work in specialized built heritage
occupations (such as heritage institutions, government, professionals, heritage crafts,
and heritage trades). This does not include any non-specialized occupations involved
(such as engineers, non-specialist architects, and contractors).
 In 2004, heritage institutions incurred approximately $254 million in capital
expenditures. Due to the greater labour intensiveness of built heritage work,
construction employment related to these capital expenditures was estimated around
2,200 persons, plus another 200-300 persons employed in a professional capacity.
 In addition to these, many indirect jobs are generated through material provision
(such as lumber, stone, clay, glass, and metal).
(Cultural Human Resources Council, 2005)
Heritage tourists spend more money and stay longer than other tourists, creating more
jobs and economic activity
As the housing stock ages, the
potential for heritage
 Heritage tourists stay longer and spend more
money:
conservation work will increase.
Renovation activity is increasing
- Historic travelers spend $722 per trip, while
largely due to the aging of the
average travelers spends $457
existing housing stock, which
- Historic travelers spend 5.7 nights per trip,
needs repairs and updating.
while average travelers spends 3.4 nights
Approximately 1.7 million of
- Historic travelers use hotels, motels, and
these dwellings were built before
B&B establishments 62% of the time, while
1941. If a conservative 10% of
average travelers use these establishments
pre-1941 buildings possess
56% of the time.
- Historic travelers include shopping as part of heritage value, then there exist
approximately 128,000
their trip 44% of the time, while average
residential heritage properties that
travelers include it 33% of the time.
require ongoing maintenance,
(Travel Industry Association of America, 2002)
repair, and preservation work.
 There are 34.5 million American and 2.6 million (Heritage Canada Foundation,
2003)
Canadian Heritage Tourism Enthusiast. This
large pool of potential tourists can be attracted to
take leisure trips in Canada through effective heritage conservation. This would
generate a considerable amount of jobs and economic activity for communities.
(The Canadian Tourism Commission, 2003a and 2003b)
Heritage conservation generated more jobs and income, and a greater GDP increase
than other similar public works investments
A groundbreaking study out of the United States found that public works money invested
in the rehabilitation of heritage buildings generates more jobs and income and a greater
increase in the gross domestic product (GDP) than the same amount of money invested in
new construction and highway construction. Every $1 million invested nationally and
locally:
Type of Investment
Rehabilitation of Nonresidential
Heritage Building
New Nonresidential Building
Highway Construction
(New Jersey Historic Trust, 1997)
Jobs
Generated
38.3
Income
Generated
$1,302,000
Increase in
the GDP
$1,711,00
36.2
33.6
$1,223,000
$1,197,000
$1,600,000
$1,576,000
Resources
Gunn, Cynthia. 2003. Human Resource Issues in
the Preservation of Heritage Buildings: Research Report. Heritage Canada Foundation.
Listokin, D. and M.L. Lahr. 1997. Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation. New Jersey: New
Jersey Historic Trust. Found at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njht/
download/ec_imp.pdf#search='Listokin%20economic%20impacts%20of
%20historic%20preservation'
Prism Economics and Analysis. 2005. Human Resources in Canada’s Built Heritage Sector:
Mapping the Work Force and Setting Strategic Priorities. Cultural Human Resources Council.
Government of Canada.
Travel Industry Association of America (TIA). 2002. Travelers Who Love History and Culture
Spend More And Stay Longer Than Average Tourists. Hospitality Net – Industry News. Found at
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4010544.html.
Research Resolutions & Consulting Ltd. 2003a. Canada’s Heritage Tourism Enthusiasts: A
Special Analysis of the Travel Activities and Motivation Survey. The Canadian Tourism
Commission (CTC).
Research Resolutions & Consulting Ltd. 2003b. U.S. Heritage Tourism Enthusiasts: A Special
Analysis of the Travel Activities and Motivation Survey. The Canadian Tourism Commission
(CTC).